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September 11, 2013

New Hire Roundup: Clearbrook Names Leslie Billet Managing Director

Deb Clarke moves up at Mercer; more

This week in new hires, Clearbrook Global Advisors named Leslie Billet managing director; Mercer announced that Deb Clarke has become global head of investment research; Bruce Graham recently joined CAPTRUST Financial Advisors as a vice president and advisor; Emerging Global Advisors welcomed three; and Brett Schneider and Tim Robb moved up at NFP.

Also, KPMG welcomed Michael Cross; AMG appointed Jenny Segal head of European distribution; Roof Advisory Group announced the promotions of Kevin Roof and Bradley Newman; and Alex Kramer joined the Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank in Milwaukee.

Clearbrook Global Advisors announced Tuesday the appointment of Leslie Billet as managing director, responsible for providing investment advisory services to institutional and high-net-worth clients. She will be based in the firm’s New York headquarters and will report to Elliott Wislar, CEO.

Billet brings more than 32 years of experience, and joins from Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors, formerly Independent Fiduciary Services, where she was a senior vice president responsible for managing many of the firm’s institutional client relationships and overseeing all aspects of investment portfolios, including defined contribution plans. Prior to that, she was an investment officer at Brown Brothers Harriman and a manager at the New York Stock Exchange.

Mercer Names Deb Clarke Global Head of Investment Research

Mercer announced Monday that it had appointed Deb Clarke as global head of investment research. In this role, she will lead the professionals who ensure the effective supply of strategic and manager research to clients. Her role will include responsibility for manager research, oversight of strategic research, and asset allocation analysis. She succeeds Divyesh Hindocha, who is resigning effective Oct. 1 to pursue another opportunity.

Clarke joined Mercer in 2005 and most recently has been global leader of the firm’s equity boutique, a unit within its investment consulting business. Based in London, she also chairs Mercer’s international rating review committee and is a member of the Asia Pacific rating review and mainstream asset investment committees. Earlier, she was a senior investment consultant at Watson Wyatt, and previously was a fund manager for 20 years, which included responsibility as head of equities at Friends Ivory & Sime.

Graham Joins CAPTRUST From Clearbrook Consulting

Bruce Graham recently joined CAPTRUST Financial Advisors as a vice president and advisor from the Stamford, Conn., office of Clearbrook Investment Consulting. He brings with him 26 years of hands-on experience in the design, implementation and management of investment strategies for corporate retirement plans, endowments, foundations and high-net-worth individuals.

“The breadth of CAPTRUST’s services and depth of investment and manager research capabilities are very exciting,” Graham said in a statement. “And the firm’s focus on serving the needs of midmarket retirement plans, foundations, and endowments means that clients get the attention they deserve."

The Greenwich office, opened recently with the acquisition of Cambridge Financial Services and hiring of senior vice president and financial advisor, Ernest Liebre, is the firm’s second new office this year.

“The opportunity to build upon our Greenwich presence by adding an experienced industry pro like Bruce Graham is a real coup,” said J. Fielding Miller, CAPTRUST co-founder and CEO, in a statement. “This is a perfect example of how bringing the industry’s best talent to the firm will help us grow in key retirement markets.”

CAPTRUST has more than 250 associates, $103 billion in assets under advisement, over one thousand institutional clients, and more than two million retirement plan participants across 50 states.

Emerging Global Advisors Welcomes Zeitoun, Smithie, Mo

Emerging Global Advisors (EGA) announced Tuesday that Marc Zeitoun joined the firm as chief product and marketing officer and Nicholas Smithie will join as chief investment strategist effective Sept. 23. In their new roles, Zeitoun is responsible for product development, product management and firm marketing and Smithie will be responsible for the firm’s developing market investment strategy, providing insight for use in investment implementation, product development, portfolio management and client engagement. Also coming to EGA as a part of Smithie's team will be Stephen Mo, who will be based in London.

Most recently, Zeitoun led business development for Guggenheim Investments/Rydex as head of intermediary distribution for the firm’s ETF, mutual funds, separately managed accounts and variable insurance trust businesses. Prior to that, he spent eight years at UBS, serving as executive director for investment solutions and fee-based platforms, expanding the firm’s wealth management advisory business.

Smithie was previously senior emerging market strategist at UBS Investment Bank, where he developed strategic model portfolios for global institutions and for the creation of structured products. Prior to that, he spent 12 years at MFS Investment Management, where he held portfolio manager roles, including lead portfolio manager of the MFS Emerging Markets Equity Fund.

Mo was until recently a strategist for the global equity market strategy team at UBS.

NFP Names Schneider Chief Financial Officer, Robb General Counsel

NFP has announced that Brett Schneider, most recently senior vice president and controller, has been appointed executive vice president, CFO, and Tim Robb, most recently SVP, associate general counsel, has been appointed EVP, general counsel. Schneider succeeds Donna Blank, who joined in 2008, and Robb succeeds Stan Barton, who joined in 2005.

Schneider joined in January 2003 as VP and director of financial reporting, and has served as SVP and controller since January 2007. Prior to joining, he served as an audit manager at KPMG, where he worked in the financial services division for over seven years.

Robb joined in 2005 as VP, senior counsel, and was subsequently promoted to SVP, associate general counsel. Prior to joining, he was an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and served as a law clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

KPMG Welcomes Michael Cross

KPMG announced Monday that it had hired Michael Cross as director of account relationships on its alternative investments team serving the southeast.

Cross, who has and continues to hold leadership roles with hedge fund and alternative investment associations throughout the southeast, is responsible for managing client relationships and developing new business with hedge funds, private equity firms and real estate funds. He spent nearly 20 years in the broker-dealer business, six years raising capital for hedge funds, and the past six years focused on alternative investment business development. He will be based in Nashville, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga.

AMG Appoints Jenny Segal Head of European Distribution

Affiliated Managers Group has announced the appointment of Jenny Segal as head of European distribution. She will lead AMG’s European institutional distribution team of regional specialists focused on developing new business opportunities and serving clients on behalf of AMG affiliates across Europe.

Segal, with more than 20 years of experience, will be based in London and will report to Andrew Dyson, AMG’s head of global distribution. She will join in November from Neuberger Berman, where she is managing director, head of institutional, Europe. She was previously head of the institutional and hedge fund business at Old Mutual Asset Managers, and before that held senior sales positions at AllianceBernstein and Baring Asset Management. Early in her career, she was a principal for Barclays Global Investors and a pensions and investment consultant for KPMG Pensions.

Roof Advisory Group Announces Roof, Newman Promotions

Roof Advisory Group has announced the promotions of Kevin Roof and Bradley Newman.

Roof has been promoted to chief operating officer, in addition to maintaining his role as chief compliance officer. He joined the firm one year after inception, and is responsible for oversight of all business operations and compliance-related aspects of the firm.

Newman has been promoted to senior advisor and director of business development. He joined the firm almost 10 years ago and is responsible for overseeing client servicing and all business development efforts. He works with clients during all phases of asset management and advisory processes.

Kramer Joins The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank in Milwaukee

U.S. Bank Wealth Management announced recently that Alex Kramer has been appointed as a wealth management advisor managing director for The Private Client Reserve of U.S. Bank. In this position, he will lead a team of advisors who provide clients with wealth management services.

Kramer brings more than 16 years of financial service experience. Prior to joining, he was head of sales for Johnson Bank Wealth Management, where he led sales strategies and teams throughout Wisconsin and Arizona. Additionally, he held positions with Credit Suisse Securities and Harris Private Bank.

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